– Embarrassing Bodies: C4 will do live 20-minute, web-only versions of one of its favourite shows, including viewer interaction through polls and tweets, immediately after TV transmission no February 10. Viewers will be invited to check their testicles and breasts for lumps at their PC screens, before a discussion of the findings with medical experts.

– Pirate anonymity: Sweden’s IPRED law may have discouraged six out of 10 pirates by forcing ISPs to cough up freeloaders’ identities, but now The Pirate Bay is offering pirates anonymity again – for a price. It’s launched it’s Ipredator VPN service, guaranteeing anonymous surfing (hence, no threat from Ipredator) for

The company’s Big Top 40 chart, which replaced Hit40UK earlier this year and broadcasts on more than 140 stations around the country, includes a top 10 based on the iTunes download chart.

Ofcom said on-air references to the “iTunes top 10″ were editorially justified, but criticised the broadcaster for repeatedly encouraging listeners to download songs on the chart, which it said breached broadcasting regulations.

“Ofcom did not consider that the repeated references throughout the programme to iTunes … served any further purpose and therefore appeared gratuitous,” the regulator said in its findings published today.

The regulator added that there was “insufficient editorial justification for the sheer number and frequency of these references”.

Ofcom’s investigation followed a complaint from a listener to Global’s Galaxy 102 station in Manchester.

Global Radio told Ofcom there was no financial arrangement with iTunes concerning the production of the Big Top 40 show, adding that it retained “absolute editorial control of the programme”.

The company said it chose iTunes to provide data for its chart because the service dominates music downloads in the UK.

Global added that calls to influence the chart by downloading songs “remind listeners to interact with the programme and impact the chart itself, on an instantaneous basis” and were “no different to someone encouraging listeners to influence the traditional format chart by buying records throughout the week”.

But Ofcom said it was different because the encouragement was “directly solicited… as opposed to being implied or referred to in passing” and because it involved a service from one provider, iTunes, rather than all retail outlets selling records.

The regulator said the programme breached broadcasting regulations barring the promotion of products and services which are not related to a programme, and those which prevent undue prominence being given to a product or service.

The Big Top 40 was introduced by Global Radio on 14 June this year, replacing the Hit40UK which had lasted six years and more than 300 top 40 rundowns.

It airs on Global’s Heart and Galaxy networks, the Hit Music Network of local stations, also owned by Global, as well as Bauer’s Big City network and GMG Radio’s Real Radio. GMG Radio is part of Guardian Media Group, which publishes MediaGuardian.co.uk.

The top 10 is based entirely on the iTunes chart with airplay statistics used to calculate chart placings from 11 downwards. At the time of its launch, Global’s director of broadcasting, Richard Park, described the tie-up with iTunes as a “historic move” and described it as the “first ever totally interactive chart where the listener decides”.

Today’s Ofcom report includes a transcript of excerpts from the show, including: “The Big Top 40 Show … the chart you can change … you decide in real time … the Big Top 40 is the only chart powered by iTunes … this is the Big Top 40 – the only chart you can influence as we count it down. Get online right now to bigtop40.com. When you download from our website, it directly affects the top 10 … let’s check out the chart. This is the iTunes top 10 … Download now at the bigtop40.com.”

Global said the Big Top 40 website included programme-related material and the references to it were editorially justified. But Ofcom said the website allowed users to buy songs via direct links to the iTunes store.

“It was Ofcom’s view that, ultimately, bigtop40.com effectively appeared to be a ‘portal’ for the purchase of iTunes downloads,” added the regulator.

Global Radio clashed with Ofcom in March this year after it rejected the regulator’s “yellow card” punishment imposed on one of its local stations for playing the wrong kind of music.

Ofcom issued the warning to Global-owned GWR in Bristol – which is required to operate as a “contemporary and chart music and information station” – for operating outside the music requirements of its format. Global criticised what it described as the regulator’s “extraordinary” behaviour and said it was “considering its position”.

Robert adds: Re: “Global Radio told Ofcom there was no financial arrangement with iTunes.” In fact, the Global Radio is an iTunes Store affiliate partner, as the “iTunes” clickthrough links on Bigtop40.com pages (and others in Global’s portfolio) show (example). iTunes affiliates get four percent of revenue they drive to iTunes Store, so it’s in Global’s interests to provide as many on-ramps as possible.

This article originally appeared in © Guardian News & Media Ltd..

The BBC may have been barred, for now, from sharing its iPlayer with TV broadcasters – but it’s still offering to pump radio stations through the service.

Tim Davie’s audio and music division, which has, for some time, been wanting to create an industry-wide player to host streams from both BBC and commercial stations, now says it’s got the signatures of Global Radio, Guardian Media Group and industry body RadioCentre for the initiative, allowing it to stream over 400 stations plus some on-demand shows. Release.

As the mock-up video, for what’s called UK Radioplayer, shows, it’s essentially a technology project that offers access to the channels through a postcode-sensitive search box inside a pop-up web player. It’s an olive branch to a commercial radio industry beaten by the ad downturn and scared of BBC dominance. But there may be several sticking points with UK Radioplayer…

– Light scrutiny?: While the BBC Trust blocked the proposal to share iPlayer this month (albeit on a silly technicality), the BBC isn’t yet submitting UK Radioplayer to formal trust approval, believing it’s not a new service but a marrying of existing technology backends. That would avoid scrutiny for public value and market impact. A spokesperson answers paidContent:UK: “The approvals path is still to be confirmed and we are in ongoing discussions with the BBC Trust.”

– Ducking the block: The UK Radioplayer apparently is a variant of that same iPlayer that has been blocked from sharing. BBC Radio online is already iPlayer-powered and, as the mock-up video shows, the UK Radioplayer, too, will be badged “iPlayer”. So why isn’t it, too, blocked along with the trust’s recent decision? A spokesperson says: “iPlayer infrastructure will be used only for BBC networks and iPlayer branding will only be used only for these stations. “

– Advertising a big feature: The UK Radioplayer pop-up will afford commercial radio stations’ advertisers “sponsor takeovers or MPU (mid-page unit) ad serving”, and boasts “synchronous visuals for powerful advertising”, “local targeting” and advertising widgets. “Stations are free to innovate commercially”, the demo says. All this is on top, of course, of stations’ in-stream audio ads. Does supporting advertising sit with the BBC’s core mission, especially when, as the mock-up shows, all these commercial messages can be popped open from BBC.co.uk?

I don’t think this one is a done deal yet. But there now seems sufficient will amongst commercial radio operators for the BBC to help it out that UK Radioplayer wouldn’t fail on a market impact assessment, at least..

Perreau, a former editor of NME.com who co-founded music news site Gigulate, will be responsible for online editorial strategy and content across all of the group’s stations.

He also previously edited Uncut.co.uk and joined Sky in 2007, where he was responsible for the management of Sky’s brands online.

Perreau will take up his new role on 16 November, reporting to Global’s director of online and interactive Robin Pembrooke, and group executive director and director of broadcasting Richard Park.

Pembrooke said: “We’re thrilled to have found someone with Ben’s track record of growing audiences and creating innovative online offerings for music fans. His appointment strengthens our capabilities to deliver fantastic online experiences for our listeners.

“He joins at a critical time when our brands are reaching record audiences on new platforms like iPods, mobiles and next-generation digital radios.”

Gigulate, which Perreau co-founded with two Absolute Radio developers, combines concert listings and music news. It was launched in February this year.

“Global represents a rare opportunity to work with a world-class team on the nation’s most successful radio brands,” said Perreau.

This article originally appeared in © Guardian News & Media Ltd..

Global won’t tell us how many staff are affected, but we know the losses include office administrators (perhaps from the majority of the company’s 60 stations), about 14 charity managers, marketing staff and more. The company is centralising some functions in London and concentrating other operations at regional centres.

It’s a mark of how bad the advertising market is that we’re seeing successive rounds of layoffs. The former GCap Media has seen several since its acquisition by Global last year. Most recently, the broadcaster laid off around 40 of its 112-strong online and interactive team in January, including five from its 22-strong London unit. It also axed other roles across the company. While fending off Global’s attentions last year, GCap had planned to slim its DAB commitment and use broadband as a key delivery complement to FM. Its iPhone apps are well thought of in the radio industry.

Global’s statement: “Global continues to evolve its structure to suit its new business model. This is in line with our strategy and it is the responsibility of the board to drive efficiencies where possible. This, as well as the current economic climate, means it is appropriate for us to constantly evaluate and adapt our structure to ensure our continued success. Unfortunately, this sometimes means the company has to take some tough decisions.”

The move comes after Global bought up Capital and Xfm operator GCap Media last year, after GCap tried to develop a broadband-centric plan to fend off bidders. Other parts of the business, including marketing and sales, went through redundancies last year, but this seems designed to eliminate what may be considered too much job overlap in online, which inherited interactive teams from both GCap and Global.

It’s thought some online workers, until now dedicated to output for individual stations, may be asked to maintain multiple sites. A new content management system is due to be rolled out and the iPhone/iPod touch streaming app that GCap brought to the party last year is due to be rolled out to other stations, a spokesperson told Brand Republic, adding it’s part of a cost-cutting plan implemented by new radio CEO and former Mail Online MD Stephen Miron.